1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to refrigeration systems, and particularly to an intermittent absorption refrigeration system that has a primary solar-powered intermittent absorption refrigeration system and an integrated ejector-based secondary solar-powered intermittent absorption refrigeration system for efficiently producing low temperatures for freezing applications in areas with high ambient temperature.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conservation of energy, namely electricity, in both the production and consumption sectors, is continuing to be a worldwide priority. One such area is in the development of air-conditioning and refrigeration systems. It is no surprise that the days, times, and locations requiring maximum cooling loads coincide with the days and times with the highest temperatures and locations with the hottest climates. Conventional air-conditioning and refrigeration systems are powered using electricity. In the areas with the hottest climates and during the days and times with the hottest temperatures, the use of electricity to power such air-conditioning and refrigeration systems becomes very expensive and inefficient.
Solar power can be utilized to provide power for refrigeration and air-conditioning systems. Absorption chillers, for example, can use solar energy to produce refrigeration. Absorption chillers can be classified into two different categories, namely, continuous operation systems and intermittent operation systems. The difference between the two systems lies in their mode of operation. For example, in continuous systems both generation and absorption of energy take place at the same time in a continuous manner, whereas in intermittent systems, the generation and absorption of energy do not take place at the same time. Instead the generation and absorption of energy follow each other intermittently within the operation of the system.
Conventional intermittent absorption systems, however, can only produce the requisite cooling capacity for low temperature freezing applications at nighttime, since they cannot efficiently achieve the required high generation temperatures, low condenser temperatures, and low absorption temperatures needed to produce the cooling capacity required for low temperature freezing applications during the daytime in areas with high ambient temperatures, for example, at 45° C. Moreover, in conventional intermittent absorptions systems, high generation temperatures require the use of expensive concentrators in addition to solar collectors, which considerably increases the overall capital cost of such systems. This significant increase in capital cost, therefore, makes conventional intermittent absorptions systems cost prohibitive and not economically feasible.
Thus, an intermittent absorption refrigeration system solving the aforementioned problems is desired.